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"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

A Brazilian wax? No way, OUCH. Iíve been having my back waxed for ages. I used to have my chest done also until I developed man boobs. Now I just manscape that area.

I managed to visit Wallyworld with Mrs. Karen yesterday. Lordy, I hate that store but at least they have motorized scooters. So, as I was looking at dreaded sweat pants, I discovered a new trend with labeling that I do not like. Smalls are now labeled Sm/Petite. Really? What man is going to wear something labeled petite? I asked the toothless clerk if they were perhaps in the wrong department, which they werenít.

So I checked out the few things in my size and didnít like anything. If I was 50 lbs heavier Iíd have had options galore. Same thing when I buy jeans, if you wear a size 30Ē or larger, you have numerous options. Under that size, you can pick from 2 pair. If youíre a size 48Ē, wow!!!! You have a HUGE selection.

Ended up not finding anything and headed to the boyís department. I found some there and I donít even wear the largest size in boys. I guess we do have a weight issue in this country.

I sometime have to buy xx large when I shop for T shirts , some of you guys that have met me know I'm not over weight . I think they are doing it to charge an extra couple of $$ for plus sizes . I wanted some cheap shirts from old navy and the young women who worked there told me it was going to be hard to find things in my size for what I was looking for LOL .

I sometime have to buy xx large when I shop for T shirts , some of you guys that have met me know I'm not over weight . I think they are doing it to charge an extra couple of $$ for plus sizes . I wanted some cheap shirts from old navy and the young women who worked there told me it was going to be hard to find things in my size for what I was looking for LOL .

You're neither overweight or a plus size. Hard to find in your size? How ridiculous since you have the ideal build.

Thank sweetie ... Old Navy is for young waifs it seems ... I have noticed what used to be a large size is now x large or even xx large , so something is up with retailers if you ask me .

Nice bootie ... my feet sweat like crazy if I wear something fuzzy like that but I guess that's whats you need to wear . Be careful and make sure it not a slippery shoe .

I wouldn't know if it's slippery, I won't be able to put any weight/pressure on it for a while yet. I needed something to cover those ugly little piggies stick out the end of the cast. Wonder if I can get a pedi with the cast on?

Just a few more days now til I get my final cast. My leg will probably be a toothpick and it's almost falling out of my current cast. I go in Monday for his final inspection and if it's healed that way we're hoping it did, then I won't need anymore surgery and will only be casted for another month.

I certainly hope that's true, driving myself nuts laying around doing nothing for all these weeks already. I guess that's from all the other periods during the last 20 years where I was laid up with illnesses.

Pink is one of the other color options and I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going with.

So anxious for tomorrow. Hopefully the news will all be good and I won't need additional surgery. Can't imagine be laid up for 6 - 8 more weeks. I have behaved myself for an entire month and obeyed his orders by staying off of it.

If everything is healing well, then I'll just get my new cast and hopefully be done with all this in just a few weeks.

Send positive energy my way everyone!

Either way, I'm going out with my brother tomorrow evening. All lay and no play makes wolfie a dull boy and quite cranky. It'd be terrible to get buzzed and mess up my other leg.

Good news and bad news to report. First the good; the surgeon doesn't think I'll need additional surgery and he'll do more xrays in 2 weeks and if it continues healing the way it is, it'll just be 5 or 6 weeks before I can start putting weight on it.

Now the bad news, I guess I had the residual side affects of the little white pills in my system cause I felt drunk as hell after 2 drinks. Probably because my brother won't let me drink wine when we are in the hole in the wall bars. OH, and he had to help me to my bed where I promptly slept in my evening attire.

Sorry if any of you all already read this but I have good news. I get my cast off Friday. The surgeon doesn't know it yet. I watched how easy the nurse cut the last three off and I almost used my drimmel.

He's just protecting himself as I think I need to start working this foot. I'd put more weight on it but it's so freaking slippery.

I'm with Jeff -- listen to your doc and don't take things into your own hands (well -- not your leg/foot anyway.....). If you listen to your doc -- you'll be walking all over Chicago with us next summer -- if not -- well, I don't want to see a sign up sheet for pushing your wheelchair around!! Be a good patient now......

I wasn't sure I read that correctly or what, but if you're actually saying that you're going to remove your cast on your own without your doctor's knowledge then 1) that's not wise and 2) I'm sure you actually realize that and won't do it

I had a few glasses of wine while limping around trying to do chores and am just getting so freaking tired of this all.

I've never heard of anyone being required to wear a cast this long and I'm beginning to worry that I'll end up with permanent damage from not getting onto therapy.

But now that I've gotten a long needed buzz, perhaps I can hold on a little longer. I'm gonna plead with him to not put another one one.

My cast was only for three weeks and it was definitely annoying, so I can empathize. But even once that came off other issues like a secondary infection and still healing the bone fracture from surgery made for an eight week period before I could start physical therapy. Then it was probably another month before I began seeing concrete gains from physical therapy. It's simply a long process. It can be dispiriting, for sure, but I guess you just have to accept that and keep in mind at some point you'll begin seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

That said, I still have pain issues five months after surgery as there's just a lot of scar tissue to heal and that can take a year or more. But it does suck so feel free to rant.

Thanks MP. I think the worst part is the loss of income. Instead of adding to my vacation fund, I'm slowly pulling funds from my house fund. Although, if I didn't have computer access and a credit card, I'd save a lot of money. Might have to rethink my shopping expenditures. Except one item I found that surprisingly, can only be bought in the store.

My cousin is taking me to Lancaster to go shopping. I NEED that vest.

Modified for spellcheck, I know how some of the grammar police are....

The doctors' and hospital bills are starting to pour in. Guess I'll be in the poor house for a while. There is one charge that I'm gonna question the surgeon about when I see him Friday. There is a line item that reads; "Initial Hospital Care Level II" on the day I was admitted.

That amount is for $373.00 and is billed directly from the surgeon. The problem is, I didn't see him the first time until the following day.

The doctors' and hospital bills are starting to pour in. Guess I'll be in the poor house for a while. There is one charge that I'm gonna question the surgeon about when I see him Friday. There is a line item that reads; "Initial Hospital Care Level II" on the day I was admitted.

That amount is for $373.00 and is billed directly from the surgeon. The problem is, I didn't see him the first time until the following day.

I'm getting bills from my sinus surgery that make little sense . I had two separate bills for the injection to relax me before the surgery and another for the shot for pain afterward , its kind of screwy how they get away with billing bits and pieces of the procedure .

I've never even seen the hospital bills for my numerous visits this year.

What additional insurance do you have? I just rec'd another one while heading to the doctor today. I'm looking to pay quite a bit out of pocket. Made one payment to the surgeon today and explained I'd just make $100 monthly payments til it's paid off.

He didn't say not to. But I never asked. How did you get all that funk off?

My podiatrist, in the most strict manner, instructed me to only let water run over it in the shower. Not to soak it, and not to scrub it. Doing so encourages a secondary infection. You need to just accept the funk until it's really healed.

My podiatrist, in the most strict manner, instructed me to only let water run over it in the shower. Not to soak it, and not to scrub it. Doing so encourages a secondary infection. You need to just accept the funk until it's really healed.

Thanks. I really don't want to cause further issues because of vanity. That's quite stupid even for me. I managed to get most of it off already and will just let it get wet when I shower.

Yes, and I already had this conversation with my mother. I was so excited that I left his office without instructions on how to proceed. Not sure how long to wear the boot, how to work the foot, etc. He only spent about 3 minutes with me and I am definitely calling first thing Monday morning.

I thought I had a tragic situation Monday evening. I was at the club for card night and as I was walking around, I felt the most horrendous pain in my ankle and was convinced I sprained it worse. I didn't say anything and just continued on with the night expecting the worst in the morning.

Upon waking, I was delighted to have full movement of my toes and my foot was flat. I guess my foot was contorted for so long that putting weight on it finally forced it flat.